Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Measurement Of Effective Parenting In Native Communities, Adje Van De Sande

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In Native communities across North America, there are initiatives currently being taken by Native people to develop culturally relevant child welfare programs to deal with the problems of child maltreatment. One example of such a program is Cherish the Children, a training program developed by the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Centre to teach “parenting skills to Indian mothers with young children” (Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, 1988). It was developed by Anishnabe (Ojibway) people and encourages Anishnabe parents to return to “the old ways” of parenting. The purpose of this study was to develop a culturally-sensitive instrument that would measure …

An Investigation Of The Ability Of Elementary School-Aged Children To Learn Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Concepts, Leslie Maureen Tutty

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The current research was designed to investigate a wide range of variables which could affect the ability of elementary school children to learn and to remember child sexual abuse prevention concepts. The major questions posed for the study were: how much do the children know about child sexual abuse before participating in a prevention program, do children learn the prevention concepts after participating in the program and do they remember the concepts over time (five months). Age was considered a critical variable, so three age groups were delineated: Grades 1, 3 and 6. A smaller sample of kindergarten children were …

Leisure Lifestyle And Perceived Social Support Of Older Adults In A Rural Environment, Elizabeth Dow Pittaway

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the leisure lifestyles of rural older adults and specifically to determine whether a relationship existed among leisure lifestyle, perceived social support, and well-being. Control variables included socio-demographic factors, value of leisure, satisfaction with life domains, length of residency, ethnicity, religion, and personal and structural barriers. The theoretical framework included social exchange theory and social support perspectives. A descriptive correlational research design was utilized and a mail survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to people 55 and older. Rural older adults spent more time on indoor leisure compared to outdoor …

An Attributional Perspective In The Study Of Crime Seriousness And Criminal Sentencing, Bikram Dasgupta

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

There is a need at present to understand the basis of seriousness judgments and the following sentence recommendation with respect to judicial decision-making. The defensive attribution model (cf. Jones & Davis, 1965) suggests that assessments of responsibility are strongly influenced by perceived intent freedom and duration factors, along with the material consequences of act. One’s attitude toward punishment has also been implicated as strongly related to the resulting sentencing decision imposed upon the offender. The role of these factors in seriousness and sentencing respectively was explored in the present research. The study also observed the role of three situational factors …

The Pilgrimage To Elvis Presley's Graceland: A Study Of The Meanings Of Place, James W. Davidson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Sites become places when people bestow meaning, such as sanctity, upon them. Throughout human history, sacred places have continually emerged within cultural groups. Sacred places commonly focus on heroic figures. A pilgrimage is the visible expression of the sanctity of a place. This thesis examines the motives, meanings and experiences which are associated with the journey to Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion and grave in Memphis, Tennessee.

Data came from questioning 209 people visiting Presley’s home in the summer of 1984, from fan clubs around the world, and from personal interviews with key figures in Memphis. In my analysis of the …

Environmental Perception And Its Impacts On The Tourist Industry: A Case Study Of The Niagara Region, Donna Marie Senese

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The natural resources of the Niagara Region of Ontario have played an important role in the success of the tourist industry in the region. The Niagara Region has been developed on an industrial and agricultural base since the nineteenth century. Due to conflicting demands of the manufacturing, agricultural and tourism industries for aesthetic, recreational and waste disposal purposes, the physical environment has deteriorated. The research problem of this thesis is to determine the extent of the effect of this deteriorated environment upon the tourist industry in the Niagara Region.

Physical inventories of resources are not adequate in terms of evaluating …

Communities In Transition Elmira And St. Jacobs, Ontario : A Study Of Resident And Retailer Attitudes Toward Tourism, Frances Hohol

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The present thesis examines the changes which tourism development has brought to two Canadian communities, Elmira and St. Jacobs, Ontario. They are "communities in transition". The research focusses on the local resident and retailer attitudes toward this development, and the possibility and desirability of further tourism development. Following analysis of the data collected through questionnaires, nine recommendations are presented.

Consumer Images Of Shopping Centres A Socio-Economic Analysis, David W. Bell

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Previous research has shown that behaviour by consumers is influenced by many interacting factors that motivate each individual in different ways. It is how these factors are perceived and combined by each person that leads to the formation of consumer images of shopping centres. Image is an important criterion in the comprehension of the consumer’s perception of shopping centres. Studies have found that the consumer’s image is related in a systematic way with the measures of social and economic characteristics of the consumer. Occupation and income are two variables that have often been employed by previous researchers to measure a …

Social Support, Stress, And Young Unwed Mothers' Ability To Cope Effectively With Parenthood, Christina Henninger

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Seventy-six single mothers between the ages of 15 and 22 were studied to determine the relationship between stress and social support and to determine their service needs. Of these 76 individuals, 19 were chosen to participate in a Home Visit Program (a self-help support program), while 21 were chosen to act as a control group for the evaluation of the program. It was hypothesized that for the total sample an inverse relationship between stress and support would be found (as support increases, stress decreases). Our findings partially supported this hypothesis. Individuals having high scores for Family Support tended to have …